As the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate in several states across the U.S., hand sanitizer is likely to continue to be a sought-after commodity. While the widespread shortages back in March and April seem to have subsided, there’s new concern over some containing a toxic ingredient, which could cause health problems of its own.
The United States Food and Drug Administration warned the public that a manufacturer in Mexico has been producing sanitizer with an ingredient that could prove to be life-threatening when absorbed through the skin or ingested. Methanol, which is wood alcohol, has been found in hand sanitizers manufactured in Eskbiochem SA de CV. Here’s a rundown of the nine types that were found to contain the possibly fatal ingredient, via TooFab.
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- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
While New York City, New York was originally the epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S., the city has reported fewer and fewer confirmed cases, along with a drop in hospitalizations, lessening the strain on its medical system. Now, Florida is looking to take over that role and is just one of 10 states that have seen record-high seven-day averages of new cases daily.
Other states include Alabama, Arizona, California, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas. The data was comprised by Johns Hopkins University, which has confirmed more than 2.3 million cases in the U.S., with nearly 122,000 deaths. With less than 500,000 deaths reported globally, U.S. fatalities make up one-quarter of that number.
Given the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, the U.S. could be joining the E.U.s’ upcoming travel ban, which would include Brazil and Russia. The list itself is still being finalized, though it’s expected to be submitted to the 27 bloc members next week. The intention is to have it filed ahead of its planned re-opening on July 1. Members of the union are being actively encouraged to adopt the travel ban, which could lead to stricter border controls within the block of countries if not enforced.
